Awful: Traveler Abandons Dog At Pittsburgh Airport To Go On Vacation

Awful: Traveler Abandons Dog At Pittsburgh Airport To Go On Vacation

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What is wrong with people?!?! Gosh, this story makes my blood boil (thanks to reader Mike for flagging this).

Abandoned dog found in stroller at Pittsburgh Airport

Police were called to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) early Friday morning around 5:30AM, after a dog was found alone in a stroller in the airport. The seven year old dog had a microchip, but when police contacted the owner, they didn’t get an answer.

Investigators then talked to airline officials, and figured out what was going on. The dog’s owner reportedly tried to fly with the dog, but she didn’t have the right crate for travel. She then tried to claim the dog was an emotional support animal, but that attempt was unsuccessful as well.

So the owner then decided to abandon the dog near short-term parking, and boarded her flight. There was food and water next to the stroller, and the dog reportedly looked “very sad.”

Police say that this wasn’t believed to be an emergency travel plan, but rather the owner just wanted to go on vacation. According to Allegheny County police:

“We were able to determine that the dog’s owner had attempted to fly with the dog this morning and was denied boarding due to having an improper cargo container. In turn, the dog was abandoned, and the dog’s owner continued to its resort destination as intended.”

The dog’s owner will now face a charge of animal abandonment. Fortunately the animal is in good condition, and is in the care of Animal Friends. Hopefully the dog finds a new home with people who can actually give it the love it deserves.

How can humans be so cruel?

I just don’t get it. If you choose to get a dog, presumably you actually like animals, value their companionship, and see how they have feelings too. So what goes through someone’s head when they decide to abandon their dog at the airport so that they don’t miss a flight? Like, it’s one thing to call a friend or family member to ask them to take care of your dog while you’re away, but to simply abandon them in short-term parking?

What exactly goes through your head when you board your flight, knowing your dog is just sitting there alone, and you may never see them again? “Oh, can’t wait to do tequila shots at the all-inclusive!”

Bottom line

A dog was abandoned at Pittsburgh Airport on Friday morning, after the owner learned that she couldn’t fly with her dog, because the dog didn’t have the right carrier. Rather than changing travel plans, the person instead decided to abandon the dog at the airport, and attempts to reach out to the owner were unsuccessful.

For the most part, humans inspire me in terms of how most people are actually pretty decent, and try to do the right thing. Then you see stories like this, and you wonder what’s wrong with some people…

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  1. T ney Guest

    This is crazy that lady is not a dog lover and only cares about herself she should never be able to own another pet especially a dog ! I am sick in my stomach to think anyone could do this !! Maybe some one should treat her like that !! And do the same to her !!!!!

  2. Cara Nella Guest

    I hope the person's name ends up being released...

  3. Howard Miller Guest

    Horrible. When we got our dog 15 years ago and weren’t sure if he would meet the airline’s maximum height and length restrictions for in cabin pets during online check in, we canceled the trip and stayed home instead, as we could NEVER imagine abandoning him then - or now (he’ll be 16 in three weeks!).

    And this was back in 2008 when airlines charged fairly high fees for changes and cancellations.

  4. Iona Guest

    What this dog owner probably thought before deciding to abandon doggy at airport and jet off to vacay:

    1. He will be safe as he will be found very shortly.
    2. He will soon be brought to authorized personnel at the airport who will transfer him to an animal shelter.
    3. People will be tripping over themselves to give him a new home.
    4. After returning, can get a new dog, which...

    What this dog owner probably thought before deciding to abandon doggy at airport and jet off to vacay:

    1. He will be safe as he will be found very shortly.
    2. He will soon be brought to authorized personnel at the airport who will transfer him to an animal shelter.
    3. People will be tripping over themselves to give him a new home.
    4. After returning, can get a new dog, which will be a lot cheaper than changing vacation plans.

    What she probably did not calculate into her ruthless decision was the cost of the animal abandonment fine that she will be slapped with. Surprise! Ha!

  5. Erin C Guest

    This person is too lazy/stupid/irresponsible to have a dog. Couldn't make the effort to find out the requirements to take the Dog, or board it. Leave it at home for goodness sake! Shameful!

  6. Azamaraal Diamond

    This one-sided story might have a different side given all all the reports of staff being "unhelpful". Here's a possible scenario:
    Arrives at checkin with dog in carrier used for years only to be told it is no longer acceptable for some minor reason. Tries to reason but is rejected. Then tries to find another way to solve the problem by proposing a "support animal" (a trick the pg used to advocate years ago)....

    This one-sided story might have a different side given all all the reports of staff being "unhelpful". Here's a possible scenario:
    Arrives at checkin with dog in carrier used for years only to be told it is no longer acceptable for some minor reason. Tries to reason but is rejected. Then tries to find another way to solve the problem by proposing a "support animal" (a trick the pg used to advocate years ago). No flexibility.
    For some unknown reason the trip is extremely important and cannot be cancelled.
    Not probably but possible. Arrogant checkin person highest likelihood.

    1. XPL Diamond

      Wow, really bending over backward to try to frame the perpetrator as the victim. But even if it were to have gone down exactly as you speculate -- which I do not concede and is pure imagination -- that's still no excuse to have done what she did.

    2. NotMyName Guest

      Found the guy that would leave his own animal and/or probably kids at the airport.

      Sorry pal. The responsibility is STILL ON THE OWNER. At the end of the day, she still decided to abandon her pet. That was completely and utterly hers and her decision alone. It actually doesn't matter what preceded. Her bad planning or the airlines refusal doesn't mean she gets to drop her obligations to her dependents (animal or otherwise)....

      Found the guy that would leave his own animal and/or probably kids at the airport.

      Sorry pal. The responsibility is STILL ON THE OWNER. At the end of the day, she still decided to abandon her pet. That was completely and utterly hers and her decision alone. It actually doesn't matter what preceded. Her bad planning or the airlines refusal doesn't mean she gets to drop her obligations to her dependents (animal or otherwise).

      I suppose you'd be okay with a child just outside of lap sitting range, also being left in a stroller outside a parking area? Surprise surprise! there are laws against that too.

  7. John D Guest

    There are dogs out there that deserve much better owners than they have, like this poor dog and the one that was abandoned at the Des Moines airport last winter.

    Just makes me sad and angry. One day while my wife and I were driving to a friend's yard sale, we saw a person throw a young kitten out of their car window into a vacant lot. Fortunately, we saw it happen, so we...

    There are dogs out there that deserve much better owners than they have, like this poor dog and the one that was abandoned at the Des Moines airport last winter.

    Just makes me sad and angry. One day while my wife and I were driving to a friend's yard sale, we saw a person throw a young kitten out of their car window into a vacant lot. Fortunately, we saw it happen, so we were able to recover the kitten, bandage it up and take it to the humane society. My wife is allergic to cats, and we were living in an apartment at the time that did not allow pets, so we could not keep the kitten.

  8. Brandon Biden Guest

    Being a puppy friend of our fur children, that is a Capital Offense and she should be punished appropriately, I would abandon her in Somalia, 4ever

  9. Candace Neff Guest

    The woman should never get this dog back!! It should go to one of the thousands of people who would love and take care of this baby like a family member like it should be. I would take it in a hot minute and love him/ her so much. This is just inhumane. PLEASE don’t give this dog back to her and prosecute her to the fullest extent of the law!!

  10. Thomas Christoffersen Guest

    I would rather dumb my hole family at the curb, before my dog Kenzo.
    I guess he would also appreciate the AA catering in first class, much more then them :D

    1. Ichbinsogeil Guest

      You are what is wrong with the world right now. A fucking dog prefered over fellow human family members. Horrible

    2. Aztec Guest

      Let me guess, you're a cat person, right?

  11. danceswithwords1 Member

    Presumably the airline knows who this cretin is, and can point the authorities in his direction so he can be charged and punished for abandoning an animal. He should also be banned from flying.

  12. Joe Guest

    When people have pets because a pet is like a LV handbag.

    1. Millefeuille Guest

      A la Paris Hilton, who probably spends more time with her accessory dogs than her newborn child.

  13. EARL Elms Guest

    I would happily take this dog and give it a forever home. The owner was never a good owner and he/she needs someone who would treat it right as it grows older

    The owner should be chained to a light fixture with a bowl of water and food and left behind!!

  14. Duck Ling Guest

    Pretty sure the lil cutie that is the subject of the article is a Boston Terrier, not a frenchie.

    I'm a dog dad and would sooner leave my spouse behind than my dog.

  15. Joel Roossin Guest

    Humans are the worst creatures on earth. The press should report her name.

  16. Mike C Guest

    Despicable. Also, as a BT owner - that is a Boston Terrier not a French Bulldog.

  17. Jessie Guest

    I'll take the dog and pay her fines

  18. Eskimo Guest

    Without Roe v Wade, you get an inbred John who is dumb enough to link animal abandonment with soon to be obsolete pilots.

    That's what happens when you're not mature enough to take care of another life, let it be humans or pets.
    But you can't blame baby Johnny for having terrible inbred parents.

    1. John Guest

      Fell for it again (.....4 times now?).
      Hook, line, and sinker.

  19. Creditcrunch Diamond

    I volunteer at my local dog kennel helping to walk dogs at weekends, post pandemic the amount of dogs that are literally tied up at the gates or puppies in boxes is heartbreaking. They have to put down so many every month because they just don’t have the space and supply outweighs demand. I hope this dog finds a better forever home, I bet an airport employee will adopt.

  20. IrishAlan Diamond

    When we purchased our previous home in Denver the woman who sold it was slow to move out on move out day. We noticed her cat still in the yard and she commented “oh I’ll come back for him later maybe. Or he’s yours” and laughed. We thought it was a joke. She never came back and she stopped responding to her realtor. We couldn’t keep him as we have two immune compromised cats. We...

    When we purchased our previous home in Denver the woman who sold it was slow to move out on move out day. We noticed her cat still in the yard and she commented “oh I’ll come back for him later maybe. Or he’s yours” and laughed. We thought it was a joke. She never came back and she stopped responding to her realtor. We couldn’t keep him as we have two immune compromised cats. We had to take him to a shelter where they attempted to contact her but she never responded. A few days later he found a new family.

    In psychology there’s strong evidence that people who abandon, abuse, or kill animals will do the exact same thing to humans. So always keep away from these people.

    1. NathanJ Diamond

      Sociopathy usually becomes highly evident in these people as they become late teens or early adults. Agree - it can often manifest as cruelty to animals at the outset. Indeed stay well away from them. When things like this occur, their only place in this world is in a santorium, or behind bars.

  21. Vivian Guest

    I do hope there is a list out there that prevents people from owning another dog. This person sounds like she can buy another dog when she gets home kinda person.

  22. Johannes Guest

    What a mad state of affairs! In one place thugs try to dognap frenchies for ransom and even maim and kill dogwalkers when they don’t comply. And here a careless person abandons such a valuable breed in the most cavalier way! So sad.

  23. Icarus Guest

    A couple also attempted to abandon their infant in Tel Aviv https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/travel/article/baby-left-airport-scli-intl/index.html

  24. BenjaminGuttery Diamond

    I hope some internet sleuths track down who this is a SHAME HER. Also, that airline should BAN HER for life and so should the Pittsburgh Airport since their employees had to clean up HER MESS.

  25. derek Guest

    In the year 2024, there may be a story where the woman goes back to her car, gets the gun in the glove compartment and does what some hospices do, kill the dog. It would ne shocking but not a surprise.

  26. Malati Guest

    I wish that people would have the same emphaty as they have for this doggo for pigs, chickens and other animals, which are kept their whole lifes in le conditions and slaugher mercilessly at the end. The sky and earth differenc between "Abandoned doggo!" and "Bacon, yummy!" is truly absurd.

    1. Srini Rao Guest

      Yes I agree. A pig is more intelligent than a dog yet they eat pork and Bacon like it's going out of style.. same with beef. its cognitive dissonance.

    2. BenjaminGuttery Diamond

      LOL, take that Vegan nonsense elsewhere. This is a travel blog dear(s). We like towers of bacon in our lounges and strips in our Bloody Mary's and Chicken Medallions in our food trays on flights. Bye Felicia!

    3. XPL Diamond

      I wish that some people would stop hijacking discussions about one thing in order to shove their sometimes worthy but always irrelevant personal causes down everyone's throats.

      There, fixed it for you.

    4. Charlie Diamond

      How is that irrelevant?? It’s literally a post about an animal and ,ost commenters here are outraged but then they’re happy to torture and kill animals for dinner.
      If you claim you “love animals” but pay to torture and kill them then you don’t love animals.
      What’s the difference between a dog and a pig??

  27. Maryland Guest

    She couldn't take a later flight and put the pup in a kennel? This story breaks my heart.

  28. Hobbs Guest

    If this morally bankrupt individual is part of your life, it's time to walk away like she did the dog.

  29. John Guest

    Can't wait for Eskimo to make a tortured 'connection' between this story and Xi Jinping CCP and/or aircraft automation..

  30. R B Guest

    Aren’t French bulldogs (at least puppies) in-demand?
    I thought people actually pay crazy $$$ for that breed.

    As a recent (rescue) dog Dad, it makes me sad too.

    1. Sam Kim Guest

      This. Owner must be profligate and cruel. A wicked 1-2.

    2. Mike C. Guest

      That’s a Boston Terrier, not a Frenchy. (I’m a Boston Terrier owner). Both are popular but the Frenchy is more popular. Regardless, even if it were a mutt - what a horrible human being.

  31. LHX Guest

    One way ticket to Moscow for scum like this

  32. cr Guest

    not defending the outcome, but isn't it possible that the traveler called a local contact who then agreed to come to the airport and pick up the dog? "I'll leave him right near short term parking with his food/water."

    1. TravelinWilly Diamond

      It’s also possible that she called her sister in LA to fly in to pick up the dog. Surely that’s what happened.

    2. cr Guest

      Actually Willy WADR I was trying to say, without saying, is the bad choices made by the yutes today. Single female, flying to resort vacay, carrying "es dog", in stroller, with no clue of real life protocols. I do assume she called fam/friend and figured a "handoff" as a solution so she could fix it and catch her plane. The outcome is still horrible, but she didn't necessarily abandon the dog in her mind. I...

      Actually Willy WADR I was trying to say, without saying, is the bad choices made by the yutes today. Single female, flying to resort vacay, carrying "es dog", in stroller, with no clue of real life protocols. I do assume she called fam/friend and figured a "handoff" as a solution so she could fix it and catch her plane. The outcome is still horrible, but she didn't necessarily abandon the dog in her mind. I look forward to the news update, but I agree the choice sucked. I fear for this generation of influencers.

    3. jallan Diamond

      If that's the case then at the very least there should've been a note left with the dog.

  33. Frog Guest

    How terrible. But probably best that the dog gets a new person. Can’t imagine this one treated him / her very well.

  34. George Romey Guest

    That's society today. Want to own a dog but don't want the responsibility.

    1. Sam Kim Guest

      Nah. These people have always existed. Just nobody reported on it with so many details. Thank goodness for the miles and points game without which blogs like this one wouldn't exist to report upon these horrors of humanity is more like it.

  35. Bob32 Guest

    I did not read this beyond the headline. Why would you even report this?

    1. James Guest

      Why wouldn’t he do a story on this? It’s an aviation related incident.

    2. OCTinPHL Diamond

      But you took the time to post…. @$$.

  36. Dave Guest

    The older I get, the less I like people and the more I like dogs.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

IrishAlan Diamond

When we purchased our previous home in Denver the woman who sold it was slow to move out on move out day. We noticed her cat still in the yard and she commented “oh I’ll come back for him later maybe. Or he’s yours” and laughed. We thought it was a joke. She never came back and she stopped responding to her realtor. We couldn’t keep him as we have two immune compromised cats. We had to take him to a shelter where they attempted to contact her but she never responded. A few days later he found a new family. In psychology there’s strong evidence that people who abandon, abuse, or kill animals will do the exact same thing to humans. So always keep away from these people.

5
Dave Guest

The older I get, the less I like people and the more I like dogs.

5
Mike C. Guest

That’s a Boston Terrier, not a Frenchy. (I’m a Boston Terrier owner). Both are popular but the Frenchy is more popular. Regardless, even if it were a mutt - what a horrible human being.

4
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